yesterday jailed for two-and-a-half years after pleading guilty to possession with intent to supply.

And Cavon Raynor, 26, a self-employed painter from Raynor's Drive, Southampton, got a stiffer sentence because he was found dealing at the Southampton Rangers Sports Club -- a facility popular with children.

Under recent legislation, magistrates can impose harsher prison sentences on dealers who prey on youngsters by operating in and around schools and youth centres.

The court heard how Raynor was spotted acting suspiciously by Police sitting on a wall outside the club on January 18.

When he realised he was being watched, he walked into the club hall where he was seen to throw a package down a stairwell.

He was arrested and searched and officers later recovered the package which contained about $200 worth of cannabis and $1,755 cash.

Raynor later told Police that he had found the bag and took it with him to the club where "people were asking for weed''.

Lawyer Marc Telemaque told Senior Magistrate Will Francis that not all the cash in the bag had come from drug sales.

And he also blasted the regulation that encourages law enforcers to punish dealers more severely for operating in and around schools.

"We would just like to point out his guilty plea, cooperation with the Police, his previous good character and that he found this cannabis and it is clear that this is not a pattern of behaviour,'' Mr. Telemaque said.

"It's something out of character and a one-off situation.'' Mr. Telemaque gave examples of previous cases in which defendants had not been sent to prison and he urged Magistrate Will Francis to impose a heavy fine and a suspended prison sentence.

But prosecutor Sgt. Phil Taylor said that the Island's youth needed protection from drugs.

"We want to save the young people -- why should they have to put up dealers and the paraphernalia associated with dealers like syringes and vials and envelopes? That's why this was brought into effect by the learned people on the hill.'' Sentencing Raynor to 18 months in prison, with an additional year because he was selling in a family area, Mr. Francis said: "I have listened very carefully to the facts.

"But I must look at the circumstances and I don't feel that, where there's an admission of selling, there's anything else I can do.''